About Us
Vision
Purpose
The Clinical/Counseling Sport Psychology Association (CCSPA) was formed as the field of clinical and counseling sport psychology has continued to evolve, presenting unique challenges and ambiguity within and about the profession. As an organization we hope to add clarity to areas often met with confusion and uncertainty. To this end we seek to establish best practices in the mental health and performance psychology of athletes, inform and educate administrators, invested organizations, and the general public about the unique nature of this part of the field, and to distinguish us as a subspecialty of the field of psychology and even sport psychology. As a group we believe that the ideal for someone working with athletes in this role would be someone licensed as a mental health provider but also trained in sport/performance psychology to support the athletes’ pursuit of excellence in performance. We will advocate for our profession in a variety of ways with sport administrators, governing agencies, and other key constituents. To our members we will offer a resource for networking and consultation, as well as continuing education and training opportunities. Our desire is to grow as an organization along with the field of clinical and counseling sport psychology. CCSPA aims to address the specific needs, characteristics, and challenges of providers working with collegiate, Olympic, and professional athletes, as this population and the culture of sport has unique demands.
Mission
CCSPA has a 3-fold mission of advocacy, education, and collaboration. CCSPA is a group that advocates for licensed mental health clinicians providing services to collegiate, Olympic, and professional athletes by keeping interested agencies and administrators informed regarding best practices and standard of care. Our group seeks to be the voice for these providers, educating administrators, invested organizations, and others about the unique nature of this subspecialty of the field of psychology and best practices for provision of mental health and performance services. We also aim to provide continuing education to members in order to maintain a standard of excellence within our field. CCSPA also provides an avenue for networking and collaboration among members.
Our mission is aligned with the NCAA Sport Science Institute’s Inter-Association Mental Health Best Practices Guidelines.
Future
CCSPA’s vision for the future is to become the primary mental health and sport psychology resource for university athletic departments, national governing bodies, and professional athletic organizations as well as all other agencies invested in the health and wellness of athletes. CCSPA plans to become a valued resource through the dissemination of education and information and by providing recommendations and support for student-athlete well-being. CCSPA intends to gain public visibility and take on an advocacy role through the creation of position papers and consensus statements with the purpose of educating and informing on a variety of topics relevant to the field of clinical and counseling sport psychology.
CCSPA will strive to promote best practices, ideal standards, and the development of competencies for practitioners. CCSPA plans to provide continuing education in the form of webinars, podcasts, workshops, and conferences. Networking and collaboration will be promoted through use of online communication forums, such as listserv and/or discussion board. In the future, CCSPA hosts an annual retreat for networking, consultation, and education. As the organization grows and evolves, CCSPA looks to be at the forefront of advocacy, education, and collaboration for the health and wellness of the athletic community.